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Multiple-Meaning Words

A multiple-meaning word is spelled and said the same way but means different things: a bat flies at night, and you hit a ball with a bat. Context is the only clue, which is why these words are such good reading practice.

Here are 124 multiple-meaning words from past ClueBy puzzles, each with a real example sentence for every meaning. Use them as a reference, or make a printable worksheet below.

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Students read each sentence and write the missing word. Every word appears in several sentences, each time with a different meaning.

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Word bank
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Multiple-Meaning Words

Name: ____________________Date: __________

Write the missing word from the word bank in each sentence. Each word is used more than once, with a different meaning each time.

Word bank: staff · bass · stand · coach · firm · wave · wound · rush

  1. I'll stand ________________ for what I deserve.
  2. A lot of friends came to ________________ goodbye to me.
  3. You shouldn't ________________ things.
  4. I can't ________________ this cold.
  5. This looks like a gunshot ________________.
  6. That must've been a ________________.
  7. It's not a deep ________________. It's just a scratch.
  8. The office ________________ worked quickly and efficiently to resolve the problem.
  9. I play ________________ in a jazz band.
  10. The fisherman caught a huge ________________.
  11. The surfers were looking for the perfect ________________.
  12. She works as an advertiser at a New Jersey ________________.
  13. A smaller training pitch was installed beside the main ________________.
  14. Is the royal ________________ prepared for the journey?
  15. We ________________ up on opposing sides.
  16. The train was so full that I had to ________________ all the while.
  17. I am seized by an uncontrollable ________________ of sadness.
  18. Take your time. There's no ________________.
  19. Turn up the ________________ so we can feel the beat.
  20. Have you met the new head ________________?
  21. The ________________ told me I needed to practice harder.
  22. Nothing provides more peace of mind than a ________________ decision.
  23. The old man leaned on his ________________.
  24. It's hotel ________________. Please let me in.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com

Answer key

  1. firm — steady
  2. wave — with your hand
  3. rush — to hurry
  4. stand — to bear
  5. wound — an injury
  6. rush — a thrill
  7. wound — an injury
  8. staff — employees
  9. bass — the instrument
  10. bass — the fish
  11. wave — of the sea
  12. firm — a company
  13. stand — for spectators
  14. coach — pulled by horses
  15. wound — past of 'wind'
  16. stand — on your feet
  17. wave — a sudden rise
  18. rush — hurry
  19. bass — low music
  20. coach — a trainer
  21. coach — a trainer
  22. firm — decided
  23. staff — a stick
  24. staff — employees

Multiple-meaning words list

Tick up to 10 words to build a worksheet with just those words.

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Frequently asked questions

What are multiple-meaning words?

Words with the same spelling and pronunciation but more than one meaning, like bark (of a dog or of a tree) or bank (for money or of a river). You can only tell which meaning is meant from the rest of the sentence.

Are multiple-meaning words the same as homonyms?

Mostly, yes. Teachers often use "multiple-meaning words" and "homonyms" for the same idea. Homophones are different: they sound alike but are spelled differently, like flour and flower.

Are the worksheets free?

Yes. Make and print as many as you like for home or classroom use. Each sheet has its own link, so you can print the same one again.

Where do the words come from?

From past ClueBy puzzles, a daily game where you sort twelve sentences by their missing word. A new puzzle every day adds four more words to this list.

Sentences from ClueBy, Tatoeba (CC BY 2.0 FR) and Common Voice (CC0). clueby.com